May 19, 2010 To Foz do Iguacu
It is a joy to be flying again and, at the same time, there is sadness on departing Barranco Alto after six wonderful days. It has been a fantastic stay with hosts Marina and Lucas and guides Carol and Fernando. I saw and learned so much. Even the sixth day; I thought I’d seen everything and I we saw so many new animals and birds. Each time they took the time to explain about the creature and its habits.
Within half an hour I find the airport of Aquidauana, at least I think I’ve spotted it (see picture). I asked Lucas at breakfast what direction the runway was and he said west/east. This was a black tarmac north/south. I had heard the runway was gravel, so I wasn’t expecting this. Also, there were trucks running up the runway. I circled and the trucks stayed off so I came around to line up on final, but kept looking for another runway. Then I saw a red east/west runway and a hangar on the south side. As I got closer I saw the avgas station. This was the right place; not the other one. The red clay was very hard and smooth.
I pulled up to the gas pump and a guy came out. I said bom dia and he responded likewise. I got out and we couldn’t communicate. I think he was telling me the price. He then filled the mains and I paid. I brought him the flight plan, but he didn’t understand what I needed. A pilot came along and we communicated a little. He said to call Campo Grande and talk with them in the air. The first guy asked what I interpreted to be where did I come from. I indicated Manaus, Brasilia and Barranco Alto and Lucas. He understood the last two and indicated that Lucas bought avgas here also.
In the air again but I can’t contact Campo Grande approach. I look at the chart and find Curitiba center. I hear talking and they respond to my call immediately. He speaks good English and enters my flight plan. I climb to flight level 100, 10,000 feet and cruise south with a tailwind. On my way. I took on full mains, 64 gallons, so I could go anywhere depending on weather. It’s somewhat limiting when there are fields on the other side of the boarder but they are not accessible as I haven’t checked out of Brazil. Well we’ll do the paperwork today and see what happens.
The weather is Iguacu has been cloudy and rainy for days. The ceiling this morning was 150 meters or about 450 feet. It has an ILS approach and I have plenty of avgas to get back if this doesn’t work. It’s so great to be up in the air again. It’s smooth and cool up here. I’m happy.
There are scattered clouds ahead and lower down. They look overcast further ahead. I’ve prepared the ILS approach in the GPS, but there is no ATIS listed for weather, so I won’t know the ceiling until I get closer and Air Traffic Control advises me. Only an hour to go. It seems to be beautiful farming country below with lots of fields and some towns every now and then. Unfortunately, I won’t see much of the falls when I arrive.
During the descent I asked for the weather which was 500 foot overcast and winds out of 305 degrees at 7 knots. So, I had to put the VOR-DME approach in with descent minimums just below the ceiling. This was going to be fun. Then I heard ATC give another plane a hold as the runway visibility had gone below his minimums. I wondered which airport that was and how bad it was down there. She vectored me around and onto final and as I descended, I had great visibility and got the runway in sight two miles out. Although she didn’t put me over to the tower until short final; she had already cleared me to land. I talked to tower and they cleared me to land. I confirmed as I came over the threshold. Interesting.
The Iguacu Falls are worth seeing. Although overcast with a little rain at times, the volume of water pouring over and their thunderous roar was amazing. See pictures. There are a number of falls, you and just see a boat under the falls in one picture.
The weather isn’t looking good again tomorrow, nor for my intended destination of Buenos Aires. I might head to another airport with customs in good weather. I don’t want to be low on gas and arriving in bad weather.
It is a joy to be flying again and, at the same time, there is sadness on departing Barranco Alto after six wonderful days. It has been a fantastic stay with hosts Marina and Lucas and guides Carol and Fernando. I saw and learned so much. Even the sixth day; I thought I’d seen everything and I we saw so many new animals and birds. Each time they took the time to explain about the creature and its habits.
Within half an hour I find the airport of Aquidauana, at least I think I’ve spotted it (see picture). I asked Lucas at breakfast what direction the runway was and he said west/east. This was a black tarmac north/south. I had heard the runway was gravel, so I wasn’t expecting this. Also, there were trucks running up the runway. I circled and the trucks stayed off so I came around to line up on final, but kept looking for another runway. Then I saw a red east/west runway and a hangar on the south side. As I got closer I saw the avgas station. This was the right place; not the other one. The red clay was very hard and smooth.
I pulled up to the gas pump and a guy came out. I said bom dia and he responded likewise. I got out and we couldn’t communicate. I think he was telling me the price. He then filled the mains and I paid. I brought him the flight plan, but he didn’t understand what I needed. A pilot came along and we communicated a little. He said to call Campo Grande and talk with them in the air. The first guy asked what I interpreted to be where did I come from. I indicated Manaus, Brasilia and Barranco Alto and Lucas. He understood the last two and indicated that Lucas bought avgas here also.
In the air again but I can’t contact Campo Grande approach. I look at the chart and find Curitiba center. I hear talking and they respond to my call immediately. He speaks good English and enters my flight plan. I climb to flight level 100, 10,000 feet and cruise south with a tailwind. On my way. I took on full mains, 64 gallons, so I could go anywhere depending on weather. It’s somewhat limiting when there are fields on the other side of the boarder but they are not accessible as I haven’t checked out of Brazil. Well we’ll do the paperwork today and see what happens.
The weather is Iguacu has been cloudy and rainy for days. The ceiling this morning was 150 meters or about 450 feet. It has an ILS approach and I have plenty of avgas to get back if this doesn’t work. It’s so great to be up in the air again. It’s smooth and cool up here. I’m happy.
There are scattered clouds ahead and lower down. They look overcast further ahead. I’ve prepared the ILS approach in the GPS, but there is no ATIS listed for weather, so I won’t know the ceiling until I get closer and Air Traffic Control advises me. Only an hour to go. It seems to be beautiful farming country below with lots of fields and some towns every now and then. Unfortunately, I won’t see much of the falls when I arrive.
During the descent I asked for the weather which was 500 foot overcast and winds out of 305 degrees at 7 knots. So, I had to put the VOR-DME approach in with descent minimums just below the ceiling. This was going to be fun. Then I heard ATC give another plane a hold as the runway visibility had gone below his minimums. I wondered which airport that was and how bad it was down there. She vectored me around and onto final and as I descended, I had great visibility and got the runway in sight two miles out. Although she didn’t put me over to the tower until short final; she had already cleared me to land. I talked to tower and they cleared me to land. I confirmed as I came over the threshold. Interesting.
The Iguacu Falls are worth seeing. Although overcast with a little rain at times, the volume of water pouring over and their thunderous roar was amazing. See pictures. There are a number of falls, you and just see a boat under the falls in one picture.
The weather isn’t looking good again tomorrow, nor for my intended destination of Buenos Aires. I might head to another airport with customs in good weather. I don’t want to be low on gas and arriving in bad weather.
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